Best Dance Studio for Aspiring Twinkletoes

Shawl-Anderson Dance Center

When Frank Shawl and Victor Anderson left the New York dance scene in 1958, they dreamed of creating a welcoming school for students of all ages and abilities. Fifty-two years later, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center is still the homegrown heart of East Bay dance. Everyone has a place at Shawl-Anderson, from toddlers moving for the joy of it, to teens mastering hip-hop, to septuagenarians taking their first tendus in beginning ballet. The Shawl-Anderson reputation stretches from coast to coast, and dancers from companies like Mark Morris, Alvin Ailey, and Suzanne Farrell lead master classes, while quarterly workshops and nearly 100 regular classes mean there's dancing every day of the week. Victor and Frank's stories of performing with The Perry Como Show or on Broadway are yours for the asking, and friendly smiles are forthcoming. Their warmth sets the tone — even if you walk in with two left feet, you'll waltz out with a spring in your step.